Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo
Arroz con pollo crockpot style is chicken and rice cooked together with tomatoes, peppers, cumin and olives. The slow cooker keeps the thighs juicy, and the rice soaks up all the seasoned broth.
6
servings20
minutes4
hoursChicken thighs and long grain rice simmer in a cumin and tomato broth. Peas and olives go in at the end.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved
1 cup frozen peas
Directions
- Season the chicken thighs with half the salt, the pepper and the paprika. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown the thighs 2 minutes per side. You are after color, not cooked-through meat, so move them to a plate.
- Cook the onion and bell pepper in the same skillet for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and stir for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and scrape up the browned bits. Spoon this mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the rinsed rice, broth, oregano and remaining salt. Stir so the rice sits in an even layer.
- Nestle the chicken on top of the rice. Do not stir again, or the rice can turn gummy.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. The rice should be tender and the chicken should read 165°F in the thickest part.
- Shred the chicken lightly with two forks right in the pot. Fold in the olives and peas.
- Cover for 10 more minutes so the peas heat through. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
- Use long grain white rice only. Instant rice turns to mush and brown rice needs more liquid and time. Swap the thighs for bone-in drumsticks if you add 30 minutes. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and reheat with a splash of broth. A squeeze of lime at the table wakes everything up.
Why arroz con pollo crockpot style works
Arroz con pollo is a one-pot dish, and a slow cooker handles one-pot dishes well. The chicken thighs sit on top of the rice and cook in the steam, while the rice below drinks up the tomato and cumin broth. You get tender meat and seasoned rice from a single insert, with no pot to watch.
The trick is the layering. Rice goes in first, chicken goes on top, and nothing gets stirred until the end. Stirring early releases starch and turns the rice gummy, which is the main complaint with slow cooker rice dishes. Four hours on LOW is just enough for long grain rice to soften without breaking down.
Ingredient notes
Chicken thighs: Buy boneless skinless thighs and trim the big pieces of fat. Thighs stay juicy for hours, and they shred easily at the end. Breasts turn dry and stringy before the rice is done.
Long grain white rice: Rinse it in a strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Basmati and jasmine work, but plain long grain holds its shape best. Instant rice and short grain rice will not work here.
Tomato sauce: Plain canned sauce gives color and a mild tang. Skip anything labeled with Italian herbs, since the cumin and paprika should lead.
Smoked paprika and cumin: These two do most of the flavor work. Check that your jars are less than a year old, because old ground spices taste like dust after a long cook.
Olives and peas: Both go in at the end. Pimiento-stuffed green olives add salt and a little brine, so taste before you add more salt.
Tips for the best result
Brown the thighs first: Two minutes per side in a hot skillet builds color and deepens the broth. Do not cook them through, just get the surface golden. It takes five minutes and changes the whole pot.
Measure the broth exactly: The most common mistake is adding extra liquid because the rice looks dry at the start. Three cups for two cups of rice is correct. The thighs release juice as they cook, and too much liquid gives you soup.
Keep the lid on: Every time you lift it, you lose heat and add 15 to 20 minutes. Set a timer for 3 hours 45 minutes and check once. Fluff with a fork only after the peas have warmed.
Swaps and variations
Bone-in drumsticks work if you add about 30 minutes and check that they reach 175°F. Frozen corn can replace the peas, and a diced jalapeno in the first layer adds heat without changing the method. For a lighter pot, use chicken broth with less sodium and cut the olives in half again.
Brown rice does not work in this recipe. It needs more liquid and a much longer time, and by then the chicken is overcooked and shredded into threads.
What to serve with it
This is a full dinner on its own, but a simple cabbage slaw with lime and a bowl of warm black beans round it out. Put lime wedges, sliced avocado and a bottle of hot sauce on the table. Warm corn tortillas are good for scooping up the last bits of rice at the bottom of the bowl.
Storing and reheating
Cool the rice within an hour of serving and store it in a shallow container. It keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Rice dishes freeze for up to 2 months, though the peas soften a bit.
Reheat single portions in the microwave with a splash of broth, covered, for 90 seconds, then stir. On the stove, use a lid and low heat so the bottom does not scorch. Always heat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through.
Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, olive oil, yellow onion, green bell pepper
Tips for Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo
Use long grain white rice only. Instant rice turns to mush and brown rice needs more liquid and time. Swap the thighs for bone-in drumsticks if you add 30 minutes. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and reheat with a splash of broth. A squeeze of lime at the table wakes everything up.
Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo FAQ
How long does Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo take?
Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo takes 4 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Arroz Con Pollo?
15 ingredients, led by boneless skinless chicken thighs, olive oil, yellow onion, green bell pepper. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
